Mechanical stoker



NOY. 1,1932. HUNT 1,885,203

MECHANICAL STOKER File'd Aug. 24, 1928 I 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR fidrex/ (ll/27 ATTORNEY Nov. 1, 1932. A. M. HUNT MECHANICAL STOKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug, 24, 1928 IN VE N TOR 2 way/{ am 7* a?" .7

A TT ORNE Y Patented Nov 1, 1932 were erases P T NT oFFIc-sf" ANDREW M. HUNT, ornnw YORK, n. Y.', AssIGnon TO THE s'rANnAnn s'roKEn COMPANY, rnconronarrm, A conronn'rron'or DELAWARE EcHAnIoAL's'ro nn Application filed August .24, 1928.; Serial No. aoijso.

. invention relates to stokers for mechanically feeding fuel to locomotive or other steam boiler fireboxes, and more particularly to the class or type in which the fuel is'con 5 veyed from a fuel bin to a plurality of fuel projecting and distributing members which mechanically project the fuel into the firebox,

as generally exemplified in United States Letg i ters Patent No. 1,058,356 granted and'issued on date of April 8, 1913 to Albert G. Elvin.

In apparatus of this character, past practice has been to provide a complicated mechanism comprising many workingparts, wherebylthe movement of the full projecting and distributing members and'the conveyor for supplying fuel thereto have been -positivelysynchronized in operative relation. Furthermore, this positively synchronized oper ation and-relation of the parts is not capable of adjustment for controlling or effecting a variation of the volume of; fuel delivered independently to eitherside of the firebox which is most desirable for trimming the r It-is one of the objects of this invention to amounts of fuel supplied to each of a plu- .rality of mechanical operating distributors may be variably controlled. r 1 This invent1on w ll be'described andis 11- obvious that its use will not be limited to locomotives or confined to any specific form of I firebox. 1

For the efficient firing of locomotives,-it is essential that provision be made for varying the amount of fuel delivered to theiirebox as its rate of combustion varies.

In stokers of the character to which this invention relates, it is important thattherelowing description read in connection with lustrated as applied to a locemotive, but it is.

thereof at 11, the two being connected by the =volvin'g fuel projecting and distributing is allowed'to drop down into the rear portion members be normally driven at uniform speeds regardless of the amount of fuel being delivered, for the reason that the speed 'of the projecting members does not have "a direct relation to the volume of fuel delivered, but their speed must be based entirely upon the size of the grate area over which the fuel should be evenly scattered. In locomotive operation especially, conditions arise such as uneven drafting of the locomotive or clinker- 00 ing of the fuel .upon'the grates, which makes it essential that fuel shouldbe delivered to certain sections of the firebox to the exclusion of otherfsections, or that the volume of. fuel delivered to either side of the firebox may be varied without disturbing the even distribution of the fuel over the grates; and to this end it is im ortant that the rate of delivery of V the fuel in o the, path of the revolving fuel projecting and distributing members be capable of independent adjustment, and inaddition, be capable of regulation whereby rellativevolumes of fuel delivered to each fuel I projecting anddistributing member may be variably controlled. I r l v j The stoker improvement of thisinvention. provides for thedesirable operation pointed out above, and obviates the disadvantagesof 7 past practice, asgwill appear from the folthe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary central longitudinal verticalsection showing the improved stoker mechanism and associate parts, including portions of the locomotive and its tender Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view corresponding with'Figure 1 with the'firebox in section on the line 2-2 ofFigure land with other portions broken away, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the gearing for ac- .tuating the fuel projecting and distributing members. I I c v f Referring to the drawings, the locomotive is generally indicated at 10 and the tender usual coupling 12. The fuel is carried in a 'bin 13, on the tender, the bottom of said bin or trough 15, of a conduit system which is suitably secured to the tender and is connected by a universal joint 16, with a forward tubular conduit section indicated generally at 17. The section 17 has its forward end connected by the universal joint 18, with the upwardly extending riser element 19, which is angularly disposed with relation to the part 17 resulting in the provision of an elbow in the conduit from which extend upwardly diverging or branch conduits 20 and 21. The riser is suitably supported on the locomotive as by a bracket 22 from the firebox backhea-d or waterleg 23. The branch conduits of the riser extend upward above the cab deck 24, and diverge laterally as they rise so that their upper ends are separated. The upper end of each of the diverging or branch conduits is curved forward and termmates some distance to the rear of the fire door opening 25, and is in communication with the lower porto more in detail. The fire door opening above said hood may be closed by any suitable or usual form of cover or door 28, which may be opened for inspection of the firebox, or for hand firing of the fuel through the opening 25.

Within the conduit system is disposed a fuel conveyor, comprising conveyor screw sections 29 and 30, the section 29 beingdisposed within the trough portion of the conduit.v and the section 30 within. the tubular portion 17 of the conduit and terminating at or in .the vicinity of the elbow thereof. The

two sections 29 and 30 are connected by a universal joint 31. The conveyor screw as a whole is adapted to be automatically actuated as by the power actuated means such as the motor shown in Figure 2 and designated generally by the numeral 32. he motor 32 is supported on the: locomotive tender and is onerativelv connected by the shaft 33 to, suitable gearing at the rear end portion of the screw section 29 for operating the screw conveyor in the usual manner. The usual crusher 34,.is located above the screw 29, at the forward end of the trough 15.

From the branchingconduits 20 and, 21,

the fuel passes into and is received by the hood or receptacle 27, which preferably comprises a floor portion 35. side walls 36, and a top wall 37, which if desired, may be made in the form of a removable cover. The side portionsarefianged as at 50 as best shown in Figure 2. and the flanged portions preferably receive bolts or cap screws 51 whereby the casing is detachably secured to the backhead 23. The top 37, of the casing 27, inclines downward and forward and terminates at, or

if desired, within the rear wall or plane of the backhead 23, while the fioor 35 extends forwardly to a point considerably in advance of said rear wall to provide a table portion from which the fuel, as it is advanced forward through the riser, due to the action of the fuel conveying means, is distributed by the fuel throwing or distributing means.

The fuel distributing means comprises a plurality, preferably, though not necessarily, a pair of revolving fuel throwing and distributing members 38 and 39, which swing completely around their axial lines in making their alternate outward and inward traverses. The members 38 and 39 are fixed upon the upper ends of two shafts, 40 and 40a respectively, the axes of which are located on opposite sides of the casing 36, in a common plane which is substantially vertical. The fuel projecting and distributing members are of the same form as those shown in the aforesaid Patent No. 1,058,356, and their outward and inward traverses are effected, at relatively greater and lesser speeds by gearing operated from any suitable motor, as at 4.1, said gearing being indicated diagrammatically in Figure To obtain this operation two shafts 4-2 and 42a, either'one of which may, as preferred, be rotated by suitable connections, of ordinary and well known form, with the motor ll, are ournaled in bearings intermediate of the shafts 40, 40a, to which the fuel projecting and distributing members are fixed and substantially parallel therewith. An eccentric gear 43, fixed on the shaft 4-2, engages a similar gear 43a on the fuel distributing and projecting member shaft 40, and a concentric gear 44 also fixed on the shaft 42a which carries an eccentric gear 45, engaging a similar gear 45c, on the other fuel projecting member shaft 40c. By this arrangement of the intermediate shafts and gearing, and the proper relative adjustment of the eccentric gears, the two'fuel projecting and distributing members revolve'in opposite directions, and their outward or feeding traverses are effected at higher speeds than their inward traverses.

During the revolving movements of the distributing members, the fuel emerging from each of the projecting conduits, collects at separate points on the floor 35, of the casing 27 within the path of one of said distributing members. As each of the distributing members approaches the fuel'at its respective point of collection on its return or backward movement, it is slowed down, and after picking up the fuel, the forward movement of each distributing member is then accelerated to throw or project the fuel over the fire. V

Theniotor 4:1, by which the fuel throwing and distributing members are automatically actuated independently of the fuel conveyor shaft 42, engages a similar gear 44a, of the ilii) motor 32, may be of any suitable construction for imparting rotary motion to the gearing.

For the purpose of trimming the fire by supplying variable amounts of fuel to any one of the fuel throwing or distributing members, a deflector 46 is disposed within the 7 lower curved end'of the riser 19,-adjacent to the delivery end of the conveyor screw section 30. This deflector can be manuallyadjusted from thestem 47, to control or regulate the relative amounts of fuel'delivered from the end of the conveyor to the branch conduits, and 21 of the riser.

In order to independently control the fuel feed and distribution, the drive of the fuel feed is separate from that of the distributing means and in the constructionshow'n, the fuelfeed system previously referred to, preferably has a continuous revolutionwhen fuel is being delivered to the fire, however, intermittent actuation may be imparted to the screw for delivering fuel tothe distributor. In this way the fuel will be delivered to the distribut-- I ing means whenever the fireman turns the valve to actuate the fuel feed mechanism, and he will regulate the amount of fuel by the speeed at which this feed mechanism is driven. The relativeamount of fuel delivered to either of the members for distribution over either side of the firebox can be varied by regulation of the deflector. The fuel, thus delivered through each branching conduit to separate points of collectionfinthe fuel casing 27, will be gathered by the respectivefuel throwing and projecting members. These .members under the actuation of the independent drive-from that of the feed conveyor, revolve in opposite directions to throw or project equalvor unequal alternate discharges of fuel, as may be desired, into the firebox over the grates 26a. The volume of fuel delivered to each throwing andprojecting member being thus determined by the rate of delivery of feed and by the adjustment of the deflector is, of course, capable ofregulation independently of the distributing members;

From theforegoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a highly eflicient and simplified form of stoker giving a very effective and flexible control of the amount and distribution of the fuel to either side or to any portion of the firebox; which can be readily installed and'inexpensively operated in service.

While my invention is disclosed as applied '1. Ina mechanical stoker, the combination of a plurality of mechanically operated fuel projecting anddistr-ibuting members pivoted to swing-about vertical axes and adapted to" scatter fuel over a firebox grate and feeding 'means controlledindependently of the'operation of saidmembers for delivering a stream *of-fuel in the plane of thepath ofeach'rof said members. i

'2. In a mechanical stoker, in combination" a fuel casing having an open forward end and .ian open rearward end, a p'airof fuel projecting and distributing wmembers mounted to swing about substantially vertical pivots in said casing and adapted to deliver fuel" through said open forward end, and feeding means controlled independently of the operation of said members for delivering a separate streamof fuel into the path of each of said members through the open rearward end of:

said casing.

3. Ina mechanlcals'toker, in combination,

a fuel casing having an open forward end and an open rearward end,'a-transfer conduit, a

pairof diverging conduits extending forward 1y from said transfer condult to separated points in the open rearward end of said fuel casing, and a pair of fuel projecting and distributing members mounted in said casing and adapted to scatter fuel over a firebox grate, each of said members receiving fuel .from a respective conduit of said diverging conduits. V

4:. In a mechanical stoker, in combination, a fuel casing having an open forward end and an open rearward end, atransfer conduit,

a pair' ofbranch conduits extending forwardlyfrom said transfer'conduit to separated points in'the open rearward end of said fuel casing, a pair of fuel projecting and distributing members mounted in said casing and adapted to scatter fuel over a firebox grate, each of said members receiving fuel from'a respective conduit of said branch conduits, and adeflector for varying the relative amounts of fuel delivered to difierent portions of the firebox. I

5. Ina mechanical stoker, in combination a fuel casing having an open forward end and an "open rearward end, a plurality of mechanically operated fuel projecting and distributing members mounted in said casing and separate fuel feeding conduits each. supplying fuel to one of said members, said conduits delivering through the open rearward end ofsald casing. v

6. In a mechanlcal stoker, 1n combmation and a; fuel conduit having a fuel receiving a fuel casing having an open forward end;- and an open rearward end, a plurality of"- mechani'cally operated .fuel projecting. and distributing members mounted in said casing opening and a plurality of discharge openings communicating with the open rearward member.

end of said casing for delivering fuel thereto. .a 7. Ina mechanical Stoker, in combination a fuel casing having a fuel discharge opening, a pair of fuel projecting and distributing members mounted to swing in said casing and arranged to deliver fuel through said opening, means for supplying fuel in the plane of the path of each of said members,

said means being controlled independently of the operation of said members, and means for varying the volume of fuel delivered to each In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ANDREW M. HUNT. 

